


Blood. Lust. Family.

by learashi



Series: Blood. Lust. [2]
Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood Drinking, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Injuries, Morning Sickness, Mpreg, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Threats of Violence, Vampire Bites, Vampire Family, Vampire Sex, Violence, nino wearing cute jogging shoes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:55:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29703672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/learashi/pseuds/learashi
Summary: Fifteen years after Blood. Lust. - Sho and Jun are adjusting to life as a mated pair, Sho and Satoshi have an uneasy truce, Nino is still wearing neon joggers and Aiba has grown a little more used to being around vampires on a daily basis.
Relationships: Matsumoto Jun/Sakurai Sho, sakumoto
Series: Blood. Lust. [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2181885
Comments: 23
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

“OW!” Sho pulled his hand back as a set of razor-sharp claws slashed deep gouges across his skin.

The mound of blankets in the middle of the bed shifted slightly as the pale hand that the claws were attached to once again disappeared under the covers.

Sighing deeply, Sho licked the scratches as he returned to the living room, wincing at the taste of his own blood, so bitter in comparison to Jun’s sweet flavour.

Aiba was in the middle of regaling Satoshi and Nino with some of the latest exploits of his five children, which apparently included multiple photographs and even a lumpy key ring in the shape of a dog, which had obviously been created by a set of small and not very skilled hands.

“What did you do to Jun?” Satoshi’s eyes flared at the scent of blood. “Why is he avoiding us?”

“You should be asking what he did to _me_ ,” Sho pouted, pointing to the already healing gouges in his skin. “To tell the truth, I have no idea what’s wrong with him. I can sense that he is troubled but he won’t talk to me either.”

Even though Sho had been Jun’s mate for fifteen years now, Satoshi still remained slightly wary of him; their relationship was cordial but certainly still not one of true friendship.

“Since you seem unable to, I’ll go and talk to him. If he is ill, we must send for a doctor,” Satoshi declared firmly.

“I’m not sure that you want to do that. He’s pretty angry,” Sho replied, rubbing his hand, which was now fully healed.

“I’ll come with you. From the looks of those gouges on Sho’s hand, Jun is in a very dangerous mood,” Nino said to Satoshi, desperate to escape from Aiba and his photographs.

“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Satoshi replied. “Jun’s my brother. There’s no way that he will attack _me_ that way.”

****

“I'm sure it will stop bleeding in a second, Prince Satoshi,” Aiba said, pressing an ice pack to Satoshi’s nose. “I didn't know that you vampires were so delicate.”

Satoshi growled and his eyes glowed briefly, leading to Nino jumping in and taking Aiba’s place before Aiba dug himself in any deeper.

“Perhaps if I bring Prince Jun a cup of nice fresh blood he will feel better,” Aiba offered, seemingly oblivious to how much he’d offended the three vampires in the room.

“You do that Aiba-san; food is the answer to every problem,” Nino replied sarcastically, his eyes shimmering bright yellow from being in such close proximity to Satoshi’s blood.

Missing Nino’s sarcasm entirely, Aiba nodded and dropped by the kitchen before heading towards the bedroom, carrying a beaker of fresh synthetic blood for Jun.

Sho moved to stand next to Satoshi and Nino as Aiba knocked and entered the bedroom without waiting for Jun’s response. “Is he going to be okay? Jun is in a very strange mood tonight.”

“He’ll be fine,” Nino shrugged, happy to be released from the torture of admiring Aiba’s ever increasing brood of children. He had never been around babies before and planned to have it remain that way.

**

“Sir? I’ve brought you some refreshment,” Aiba said, drawing back the heavy silk-lined curtains to reveal a clear night sky and the bright lights of the city.

The angry hiss which issued from the mound of blankets in the centre of the bed indicated that Jun was not happy at the intrusion, but Aiba carried on regardless. He folded back the quilt to reveal a nest of dishevelled hair, atop a face which was pale, even for a vampire.

“Aiba-chan? Go away!” Jun attempted to pull the covers over his head, but Aiba snatched them away.

“I’m sorry to intrude Sir, but Prince Sho is worried about you.” Aiba rearranged the pillows, making it possible for Jun to sit up.

“I think I hurt him before, and Satoshi too,” Jun replied in a wobbly voice in complete contrast to his anger from a moment before. “I don’t know why I’ve felt so strange over the past few days.”

Aiba murmured soothingly, and handed Jun the beaker of blood, “You’ll feel better after you have something to eat. My Emi is not a morning person either and bringing her a snack in bed seems to help.”

Jun took the smallest of sips, grimacing at the taste of the freshly poured blood.

“I can cook you something, if you would prefer.” Aiba’s role had changed over the years from that of Sho’s secretary, to being an integral part of their household and he took his responsibilities very seriously.

“The very thought of food makes my stomach turn,” Jun muttered, closing his eyes in an attempt to quell his nausea.

“Dry toast is just the thing to settle your stomach. My Emi always needs toast first thing when she is expecting…”

Jun’s glare said it all and Aiba‘s eyes widened as he hastily added, “Not that I’m implying anything.”

“Thank you for the offer, but since that is an impossibility, I’d rather just go back to sleep,” Jun said, as he pulled the covers back over his head. “And please close the curtains on your way out; the lights are hurting my eyes.”

****

“Pet, this has to stop. I can feel that you are out of sorts, and it pains me.” Sho dug Jun out of his nest of blankets and ignored Jun’s hiss of warning as he pulled him into his arms. “Why wouldn’t you drink the blood that Aiba brought you?”

“It made me sick to my stomach,” Jun murmured, burying his nose in the crook of Sho’s neck and breathing in his bittersweet chocolate scent. Sho’s pulse thrummed against Jun’s lips as he pressed them against Sho’s warm skin, making Jun’s breathing quicken slightly as his own pulse beat in time with his mate’s.

Sho tilted his neck, allowing Jun better access, “Drink my love, you know you want to.”

“I shouldn’t. I took so much from you at our mating renewal last month…” Jun whispered his words against Sho’s neck, sending puffs of moist air against Sho’s tingling skin.

“I can feel your need Jun.” Sho tugged Jun around to face him. Looking deeply into Jun’s eyes, Sho commanded, “Drink.”

Tentatively at first, Jun made a small puncture with one of his fangs and lapped at the spot with quick darts of his tongue. The overwhelming taste and texture of Sho’s blood soon overcame his qualms and Jun drank down several gulps before Sho gently pulled on his hair to bring Jun back to his senses. Licking the last dribble of red from Sho’s neck, Jun licked and kissed the wound until the flow ceased and the skin began to knit back together.

Jun’s eyes were as dark and unfocused as Sho’s as their lips met and they were swept away by a wave of passion triggered by the act of feeding. Hands roamed over long limbs, tracing muscles underneath untucked clothing, teeth nipping at skin as they crushed their mouths together, uncaring that the others were just outside the room. Eyes ablaze, Sho hastily removed their clothing and pushed Jun backwards down onto the mattress.

Jun responded by thrusting his hips needily against Sho’s crotch, growling in the back of his throat as Sho licked a wet stripe along Jun’s exposed skin and nipped at the underside of Jun’s jaw. Jun tasted even sweeter than usual and Sho grunted with pleasure as he sucked on the tiny mole on the side of Jun’s neck.

Sho parted Jun’s legs slightly and slid two fingers into his mate enjoying the tight clench of hot flesh around his fingers. Claws pricked at the back of Sho’s neck as Jun clung tightly to him in response to the welcome intrusion, and soon Jun was spreading his legs as wide as possible and whining needily as he writhed on the bed. “Bite me. Take me. Fuck me.”

A low pitched wail from Jun filled the room as Sho thrust himself smoothly into him in one controlled movement. After a small pause to allow Jun to relax himself around Sho’s size, Sho withdrew before thrusting forward slowly and with great force. The bed rocked in time with the ever quickening movements of Sho’s hips as he hovered over Jun’s prone form, gazing into the fiery purple depths of Jun’s eyes.

Mewls of excitement were forced from Jun as Sho gripped Jun’s shoulders and rocked back onto his knees, pulling Jun into an upright position, still impaled on him. Holding Jun’s hips tight enough for his claws to puncture the taut skin, Sho assisted Jun to ride him, drawing him up to the tip of his cock before dragging him sharply back down, until neither of them could catch their breath.

Sweat dripped down overheated skin as they moved together in a frenzied coupling, claws making shallow scratches and fangs bared as they nipped at each other’s necks and shoulders. Jun cried out loudly, clawing at Sho’s back, trembling as lust set his veins on fire. Gripping Jun to his chest, Sho lowered him back to the mattress, never stopping the relentless movements of his hips. Rutting hard against him as Jun wrapped his legs tightly around Sho’s waist, Sho pinned Jun’s hands down and kissed him, mingling the blood on their lips as their tongues danced together.

“Come,” Sho commanded, plunging in to the hilt and releasing deep within Jun, who was shaking with pent up emotion.

Unable to resist Sho’s demand, Jun screamed, body arching as he came, eyes squeezing tightly shut, before he collapsed back down onto the stained sheets, with a sated smile gracing his face.

It took a while for their breathing to steady, as Sho carefully withdrew, proud of the trickle of semen which flowed down to make Jun’s thighs sticky. Jun practically purred as Sho kissed all of the bloody marks and welts on Jun’s body, healing them with his touch. Jun smiled contentedly as Sho gently sponged him clean and tucked him under the clean edge of the sheets, pulling the blankets up under Jun’s chin. As Jun’s eyes fluttered closed his stomach growled loudly.  
  
“Hungry at last?” Sho laughed and kissed Jun’s forehead. “I'll fetch you some food and a glass of juice.”  
  
“Mmm, cheese and crackers?” Jun mumbled sleepily.  
  
“Anything you want, Pet. I'm just relieved that you are finally hungry.”  
  
****  
  
Jun’s silky bathrobe was the first thing which came to hand, and Sho was in the middle of tying it loosely around his waist as he shuffled across the bedroom. Jun was snugly tucked under the blankets and already dozing, but Sho was determined that he should eat something.  
  
Fumbling with the belt of the robe and opening the bedroom door simultaneously, Sho pulled up with a start as he bumped into a solid object. “Nino? I am just on my way to the kitchen.”  
  
Nino was standing with his arms crossed in front of his chest, a sneaker-clad foot tapping impatiently as he looked disdainfully at Sho’s dishevelled state. “Then allow me to walk you there.”  
  
“Is there a problem?” Sho loaded a plate with slices of cheese and sesame crackers and looked in the fridge for some juice.  
  
“Did you forget that Satoshi, Aiba and I were here?” Nino asked as he slammed the fridge door shut preventing Sho from retrieving the bottle.  
  
Sho blinked, coming out of his post-coital daze. “I guess I did. Where are they?”  
  
“When Satoshi heard Jun wailing he wanted to go in there and rip your head off, but he stormed off instead. Aiba, who seems to be used to this type of behaviour, went to buy Jun some medicinal tea.”  
  
“But you decided to stay and eavesdrop?” Sho pushed Nino aside and retrieved the juice.  
  
“You were supposed to feed him, not fuck him,” Nino hissed.  
  
Sho spun to face Nino, eyed ablaze with anger. “What gives you the right to speak to me that way?”  
  
“The Council chose Jun as your mate, and it is our responsibility to make sure that he is being treated as he deserves,” Nino replied, pulling himself up to his full height, and staring Sho down.  
  
“And as his mate, I know what's best for him,” Sho snarled. “Do you really think that I would hurt him?”  
  
“It certainly didn't sound as if you were being particularly careful with him just now, especially with him being the way he his.”  
  
“And how exactly _am_ I being?” Jun was in the doorway, wearing nothing but one of Sho’s shirts which was barely long enough to maintain decency. Even though he was pale and swaying slightly, he glared at the pair of them with purple glowing eyes.  
  
“Jun, you shouldn't be up.” Sho tried to wrap his arm around Jun’s shoulders.  
  
“I’m hungry,” Jun said, batting away Sho’s hand. He walked over and picked up the plate of food and the glass of juice and headed back towards the bedroom. “And for your information Nino, I enjoyed every minute of Sho fucking me, so you can stop worrying.”  
  
****  
  
“Satoshi, it wasn't Sho’s fault.” Jun swirled the synthetic blood around in the crystal goblet before taking an experimental sip. He grimaced and placed the glass back down on the table before cutting a large slice from his very rare steak. “I was the one who initiated it. I’m sorry to have embarrassed you.”  
  
Satoshi put down his fork and took a gulp of his own goblet of blood. “I want you to see a doctor.”  
  
“There’s no need, and don't try to avoid the issue. You haven’t spoken to me in over two weeks, and I miss you.”  
  
“Do you have any idea what it was like for me to hear you making those noises?”  
  
“At least you know that Sho is making me happy?” Jun giggled and blinked innocently at his brother.  
  
Satoshi closed his eyes momentarily and sighed. “Fine. It never happened, but I still want you to see a doctor.”  
  
“I’m fine.”  
  
“You're hardly eating, you sleep nearly all day and night, you look terrible, and you're barely drinking enough blood to keep you alive.”  
  
As if in defiance of Satoshi’s words Jun scowled and gulped down his goblet of blood in one go. He then stuffed the remainder of his steak into his mouth, barely chewing it before forcing it down his throat. “Are you happy now?”  
  
“Not completely, but I guess this will have to do.”  
  
A short while later Jun excused himself to visit the restaurant bathroom, leaving Satoshi to order another bottle of blood and some dessert. After checking that the room was empty of any other patrons Jun locked himself in the closest cubicle. With trembling hands he loosened his tie and pushed back a stray lock of hair from his sweaty forehead. A moment later he folded up over the toilet bowl and proceeded to empty his stomach, heaving until all of the food he’d just consumed was purged from his system.  
  
When he could manage to stand upright again on legs which felt like rubber bands, Jun flushed the toilet and washed his face and hands. The reflection which stared back at him in the special mirror seemed to belong to someone much older who had skin which seemed almost transparent in the unflattering light. Jun pinched his cheeks and bit his lower lip to infuse a little colour before walking unsteadily back to the table.  
  
****  
  
Jun was already asleep even though the sun was still below the horizon and wouldn't rise for at least two hours. After checking on Jun and pressing a kiss to his cheek, Sho carefully closed the bedroom door and pulled on his hooded coat, heading out to a meeting with Nino at a nearby vampire bar.  
  
Sho was shown to a private room at the back, where his bodyguard moved to stand alertly in the corner of the room. Since Jun’s kidnapping, security for the Royal families had been increased and they now employed a rotating team of vampire guards and humans, to ensure they had twenty-four hour coverage. This meant that Sho, who had been driven to this location by his own guard, was able to relax as he was sure that his sleeping mate was being protected by the burly human protecting the front door of their apartment.  
  
Nino was already seated with a bottle of red wine and two glasses on the table in front of him. He turned to Sho with a worried expression and gestured to Sho’s guard to leave them. “Out. Prince Sakurai will be perfectly safe with me.”  
  
Taking a seat opposite Nino, Sho helped himself to some wine, offering the bottle to Nino who shook his head. As always, Nino was entirely clad in black, apart from his sneakers, which were bright yellow and obviously new.  
  
Sho sipped the wine and nodded appreciatively at the deep plummy taste before looking quizzically at Nino. “Why the subterfuge? What do you have to tell me that you couldn't say at my place?”  
  
“You know that Satoshi had lunch with Jun two nights ago?”  
  
“Of course, but I don't see anything unusual about that,” Sho said, running his finger through a drop of wine clinging to the stem of his glass.  
  
“Satoshi rang me afterwards, and told me that he was worried about Jun’s behaviour. He suspected that Jun purged himself of their meal even before they’d finished eating, something which was confirmed by the washroom attendant at the restaurant when I questioned him today. Knowing that you two don't really get on, Satoshi asked me to speak with you instead.”  
  
“I know that Jun hasn't been himself lately, but I haven't seen or heard him being sick. If he is ill, why would he hide it from me? And more importantly how? As his mate I can sense when he is distressed, and I don't detect any illness.” Sho was both worried and puzzled.  
  
“Obviously he has learned to hide things from you or perhaps you aren’t paying him close enough attention.” Ignoring Sho’s offended hiss, Nino continued. “Have you noticed anything different about him recently, apart from the obvious things like his lack of appetite and sleeping more? Something which only you can tell?”  
  
Sho thought for a moment, “Sweet. His scent and taste are sweeter than usual.”  
  
“I have no idea what that means, but I know someone who does,” Nino said, picking up his phone. “I'll make arrangements. There is a doctor who works regularly with the Council, and I think he will be able to help Jun. All you have to do is make sure to get him there at some point.”  
  
Sho was unsure. “I don't know how Jun will react.”  
  
“You are his mate and you need to make him do it whether he likes it or not.”  
  
“Nino, that isn't how things work. I would never force Jun to do anything against his will, and even if I tried, you know he would never let me,” Sho said as he placed his glass back down on the table and pushed back his chair. “And now, if you will excuse me, I'll be getting back to him before he notices that I am gone.”  
  
“Whatever. Just remember that I’ll be ready at any time,” Nino replied as he studied his fingernails with a disinterested expression.  
  
****  
  
It wasn't even a sound which woke Sho; it was the heavy feeling in his heart and the prickling feeling in the back of his mind that something was wrong with his mate.  
  
The other side of the bed was empty and barely warm to the touch as Sho ran his hand over the sheet in search of Jun’s reassuring presence. Sho raised himself to a sitting position, listening intently for a sign that Jun was nearby. There was a faint noise coming from the attached bathroom, barely loud enough to be heard, but Sho knew that it was coming from Jun, and it indicated nothing good.  
  
Carefully picking up his phone, Sho quickly sent a text to Nino and pulled on a pair of jeans over his boxers before sliding out of bed and silently padding over to the bathroom door. The faint sound of a muffled moan spurred him to fling open the door and flick on the overhead light, catching Jun in the process of ejecting his stomach contents into the toilet bowl.  
  
Jun looked like a ghost as he knelt pale and atremble on the hard tiles. With one hand bracing himself on the rim and the other holding back his unbound hair, he continued to heave convulsively, gagging as strings of bile came out of his mouth.  
  
Picking up a clean face cloth from a shelf next to the vanity, Sho rinsed it with cold water and walked over to Jun, lifting Jun’s hair and pressing it firmly to the back of his neck as Jun shuddered and groaned. Jun’s sleep shirt was soaked with sweat and clinging damply to his spine as he curled up in a ball on the floor in front of the toilet.  
  
“Breathe deeply Pet, it will make things easier for you,” Sho said softly as he filled a glass with water and handed it to Jun.  
  
Jun’s hand was shaking so hard that it made it impossible for him to get the water into his mouth, so Sho knelt down beside him and placed his hand over Jun’s, holding the glass steady as Jun took a mouthful.  
  
“Jun my love, why have you been hiding this from me?” Sho put down the glass and helped Jun to his feet.  
  
“Hiding what? I probably just had some bad blood. I'll be fine by tomorrow,” Jun rasped hoarsely as he teetered over to the basin to splash water on his face.  
  
“We’ll soon know if that's true, because you're coming to the doctor with me right now.”  
  
Jun narrowed his eyes and shook his head, swaying slightly as dizziness struck as a result of the motion. Barely able to walk in a straight line, Jun made his way slowly back to the bedroom followed closely by Sho, who was making sure that he didn't stumble. “I'm going nowhere but back to my bed.”  
  
“You are not. I'm going to help you get dressed and then we’re going to meet Nino downstairs and we will take you to be checked out.” Sho was too busy opening drawers and pulling out suitable clothes for Jun to wear, to notice the mutinous expression on Jun’s face.  
  
“Don't think you can treat me like a child,” Jun said, crossing his arms angrily.  
  
Sho looked at Jun standing there and pouting defiantly, “Well, you're certainly doing a good job of acting like one right now.”  
  
Jun raked his fingers through his hair, gathering it into a bundle as he tied it at his nape with a black satin ribbon from the dresser. He eyed Sho and tried to push his way past. “Get out of my way and stop fussing. I’m perfectly fine.”  
  
Sho could hear Jun’s rapid breathing and the distressed fluttering of his heart, and most of all he could sense Jun’s fear and uncertainty, despite his bravado. “You know that I can't do that. We both know that you aren't fine,” Sho said, blocking Jun’s way.  
  
“You know nothing of the sort,” Jun huffed as the depths of his eyes glowed with a dim purple flame. “Just because you are my mate doesn't give you the right to order me around.”  
  
“Oh really?” Sho felt anger rising in his chest, but he managed to retain a calm demeanour. He badly wanted to just ignore Jun’s protests and compel him to accompany him, but he didn't want to use his advantage as the dominant partner in their mateship. The one time Sho tried to hypnotize Jun before their mating had left him deeply embarrassed, and even more importantly Sho would never force Jun into something against his will.

“Really!” Jun hissed. “Don’t even think about trying to make me, you…you...” Jun gripped the front of Sho’s t-shirt, balling the fabric tightly in his fists and trying to push Sho out of the way, but Sho braced himself and refused to move.  
  
Sho wanted to laugh at Jun’s determined pout, but that changed to concern a moment later as Jun’s hands slipped slowly down from his chest as Jun’s knees bent as if unable to any longer support his weight. Jun fell forwards against Sho’s chest, as limp as a rag doll, forcing Sho to quickly catch him before he crumpled to the floor in a faint.  
  
“Jun?” Sho shook Jun lightly and when he received no response, he lifted him and gently deposited him on the bed. “Don’t worry Pet, I’ve got you.”  
  
Even though Sho’s heart was thudding he realized that Jun would kill him if he carried him downstairs in his sleep wear. He hastily wrapped the bedspread around his mate before sweeping him into his arms and carrying him out of the apartment. The guard at their door tried to intervene, but Sho brushed him aside and carried Jun quickly and carefully down to the underground garage where Nino was sitting at the wheel of a black Mercedes with specially tinted windows.  
  
“What happened?” Nino asked over his shoulder, watching intently as Sho placed Jun on the back seat and buckled him into the seatbelt before sliding in beside him and leaning Jun against his shoulder.  
  
“As Satoshi thought, he was throwing up. We were arguing about him seeing the doctor when he fainted in my arms,” Sho replied with a worried frown. “Don’t just sit there. Drive!”  
  
Nino nodded and pulled out into the afternoon traffic, driving calmly at a speed which far exceeded the legal limits, which worried Sho slightly, but he knew that Nino would never do anything which put Jun in danger.  
  
****  
  
The moment that the car pulled into the marked parking beneath the private clinic the back door was reefed open.  
  
“What have you done to my brother?” Satoshi’s eyes blazed with anger as he glared venomously at Sho.  
  
“Nothing,” Sho protested, in turn glaring at Nino. “And how did you even know we were coming here?”  
  
“I told him, of course,” Nino said coldly. “And don’t give me that look. Satoshi was the one to notice that something was seriously awry with Jun. You should be thanking him, not fighting with him.”  
  
A small voice piped up amongst the bickering as Jun spoke from his slumped position on the back seat. “Will you all stop arguing and just take me home?”  
  
“NO!” The answer from the other three was perfectly synchronized.  
  
“Don’t think you can stop me from leaving right now and getting a taxi straight back home,” Jun said in a weak voice as he unbuckled the seatbelt and tried to wriggle out of his seat.  
  
Sho gave him a look of exasperation and only needed to use two fingers to press Jun back into place. “I’d like to see you try.”  
  
“Fine. Just to prove you wrong I’ll see this doctor and then maybe you’ll leave me alone,” Jun mumbled.  
  
Sho climbed out of the car and by the time he reached Jun’s side, Satoshi had lifted Jun into his arms and made to walk to the elevator. There was a stab of pain in Sho’s chest at the sight of his mate being held in that way by another, even if he was Jun’s brother.  
  
Nino rolled his eyes and was relieved to see the indicator on the elevator moving. He bounced lightly on his toes, glaring at the pair squabbling over Jun, and prepared to intervene if necessary.  
  
“Put Jun down. As his mate I can’t allow this.” Sho’s eyes flashed and the tips of his fangs descended.  
  
Satoshi hissed and ignored Sho as he hugged Jun tightly to his chest. Sho reached to grab Jun, who was looking pale and distressed.  
  
“Stop being ridiculous, the pair of you,” Nino snapped. “You should be ashamed.”  
  
“Thank you Nino-san.” A tall and handsome vampire with dark hair and eyes which were lit from within by a light honey glow, stepped out of the elevator and gently pried Jun from Satoshi’s arm before depositing him into a wheelchair. “I thoroughly agree. The last thing that someone who is unwell needs is being treated like the last toy in the store on Christmas Eve.”  
  
He turned on his heel and wheeled Jun into the elevator, followed closely by Nino, who gave Sho and Satoshi one last disgusted look before the doors slid closed, leaving the pair of them alone to await the elevator’s return.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jun arrives at the hospital, Nino lays down the law to Satoshi and Sho, and Jun is not pleased with his eventual diagnosis.

The room into which Jun was wheeled was not what he expected for a hospital, especially one which Nino had apparently frequented. The colour scheme was a soothing palette of neutral tones, and the furnishings resembled those of a luxury hotel suite rather than a hospital room. As a safety measure against accidental sun exposure, the window was covered with heavy metal shutters on the outside which still allowed fresh air to circulate into the room.

Still dizzy and weak, Jun allowed Nino and the calm vampire to assist him out of the chair and up onto the wide bed, propping him up with pillows until he was in a comfortable position.

Nino walked to the door, intent on catching Sho and Satoshi before they burst into the room. “Jun, this is Oguri Shun. He often looks after Vampire Council agents who have been injured. He’s the only doctor I would trust to treat me, so I’m sure you’ll be fine with him.”

After Nino left the room, Oguri-sensei sat down on one of the plush visitors’ chairs and tried to reassure Jun of his good intentions. He pushed his rectangular glasses further up his nose and regarded Jun with his honey-toned eyes, “Your Royal Highness, Ninomiya-san asked me to speak to you.”

“Just speak?” Jun was wary of the doctor’s gentle tone.

“Of course. I would never touch anyone without their permission.”

“That would make a nice change. Sho and my brother always think they should make decisions for me, as if I’m a child. Sho carried me here when I couldn't refuse, like some sort of doll,” Jun grumbled.

“And why couldn't you refuse?” Oguri-sensei gazed at Jun with wide eyes.

Jun looked at a spot somewhere over Oguri’s left shoulder as he mumbled his answer, “Sho thinks that I fainted…I was a bit dizzy, but I’m sure I didn’t pass out.”

“Hmm, so what do you remember?”

“We were arguing and suddenly his voice seemed to be coming from far away, and then we were in the car park downstairs,” Jun said slowly as it dawned on him that Sho might have been right, which was something he didn’t even want to contemplate right now. “But that doesn’t mean that I need to see a doctor. It just means that I needed more sleep, which is what Sho was preventing me from doing. I’ll be fine if I just go home and rest for a few more hours.”

The doctor sat and listened to Jun’s babbling with an impassive expression before waving his hand in the direction of the door. “In that case, off you go. I'm sure that Ninomiya-san will drive you home.”

Jun nodded and attempted to climb down off the bed, struggling feebly to raise himself from the pillows on which he was resting. His attempt to move left him feeling weak and dizzy and Jun soon flopped back down, closing his eyes in an attempt to quell his rising nausea.

“Not feeling so good?” Oguri asked softly.

“I’ll be fine in a minute,” Jun muttered feebly. “And then I’m going home.”

Oguri nodded, “And in the meantime, perhaps you could take a little blood? You’re looking rather pale and dehydrated.”

“I have problems digesting synthetic blood. There is only one kind I can stomach, and even that has been making me feel queasy lately, so I haven’t been drinking much,” Jun admitted.

The expression on Oguri’s face sharpened, “You know that not taking enough blood is dangerous.”

Jun looked down at the circular scar on his left wrist. “Trust me, I know exactly what the consequences can be. I’m not deliberately avoiding it.”

“How about I fetch you some ginger tea and then perhaps you could try to drink a little blood?”

Perking up a little at the mention of tea, Jun warily agreed.

****

“The two of you are beginning to make me angry, and that never ends well.” Nino paced around the small waiting room into which he’d locked Sho and Satoshi in an attempt to prevent them from disturbing Jun’s examination.

“Nino, you have no right to keep me here. Jun is my mate and my place is by his side.” Sho’s body was quivering slightly with repressed tension as he tried to remain calm.

“Not if you are going to make him even more stressed than he already is,” Satoshi retorted.

“I would’ve expected the pair of you to have sorted this out after fifteen years,” Nino sighed. “You have to stop squabbling over Jun. He may be your mate, and your baby brother, but you need to give him some space.”

“But after what happened...” Satoshi muttered as his eyes glowed briefly.

“I know that Jun was traumatized, as we all were to some extent, but he is so much better now.” Nino squeezed Satoshi’s shoulder reassuringly. “We all feel as if we let him down, but we shouldn’t let those feelings of regret make us smother him.”

As the other two spoke, Sho stood with his eyes closed, searching for a sense of how Jun was faring. He could feel a sense of peace and calm flowing into his mind, replacing the anxious pricking which had been setting his nerves on edge for the past few days.

Sho opened his eyes and looked directly at Satoshi, “Maybe I _have_ been smothering him. We have only been mated for such a short time and I am still consumed with the need to keep him only for me. Now that he is calm, I am realizing just how stressed he’s been for the past few weeks.”

Nino smirked and patted Sho on the back. “Now I won’t have to hurt you, which is a relief since I’m wearing my new sneakers today and I wouldn’t want to get them bloody.”

Sho turned angrily to Nino, but his anger melted away as he noted the humour twinkling in the Council agent’s eyes.

Satoshi was still tense, but he took a steadying breath and slowly exhaled, before turning to Sho and speaking slowly, as if choosing his words carefully, “I know that I need to stop treating my brother like a child, and I also know that you would give your life for him, as you have already demonstrated.”

Sho was surprised when Satoshi reached out to him and took his hand, turning it over to expose the jagged scar on the inside of his wrist. Satoshi ran the tip of his finger over it, tracing the thin line which Jun’s fangs had left behind when he had almost drained Sho to the point of death.

“Thank you, your Royal Highness’s,” Nino said, bowing deeply. “I apologise if I have overstepped my mark.”

Satoshi chuckled, “We would be worried if you _didn’t_.”

“Now may I see Jun?” The unsettled feeling growing in the pit of his stomach told Sho that Jun was once again feeling unwell.

“Shun will contact me when his examination is complete. Until then we will just have to wait.” Nino sat on the chair nearest to the door and gestured to the others to sit. He had no intention to unlock the door just yet.

****

Jun leant over the edge of the bed, shoulders heaving as he spat mouthfuls of blood into the basin Oguri was holding. After drinking the ginger tea, Jun had felt hungry and had managed to drink almost half a litre of synthetic blood, but shortly afterwards his stomach had rebelled. The doctor had been quick to react; grabbing the basin and propping Jun up as he twisted sideways and began to regurgitate the thick red liquid.

Sweat soaked through the sleepwear from home which Jun was still wearing, making the fabric cling to his skin and he shivered involuntarily. The doctor helped Jun to rest back on the pillows and fetched a cloth to wipe the blood from his chin.

“I know that I promised not to touch you, but may I check your pulse?” Oguri asked as he covered the basin with the cloth and placed it to one side.

“I think I’m not very well after all,” Jun whispered.

“Then will you allow me to help you?”

Surrendering to the inevitable, Jun nodded feebly and closed his eyes. The room was spinning and making him feel even more nauseous.

****

There was a timid knock on the door of the waiting room, and a quavering female voice called out, “Excuse me. Pardon me for interrupting but Oguri-sensei has requested Prince Sakurai attend Prince Matsumoto’s room.”

Nino unlocked the door and placed a restraining hand on Sho’s arm as he bounded towards Jun’s room. “Satoshi and I will wait here until Jun decides whether he wants to see anyone else. And please remember to not smother him.”

Satoshi stiffened and looked as if he was about to protest, but instead he simply sat back down to wait, earning himself a small nod of approval from Nino.

****

Sho took a deep breath to steady himself before sliding open the door to Jun’s room. It took every atom of his willpower to not rush over and scoop Jun protectively into his arms.

Jun had swapped his sweaty nightshirt for a soft blue pair of pyjamas and was reclining back against a nest of pillows. His face was almost as pale as the crisp white bedlinen and his eyes were closed. There was an IV line snaking from Jun’s hand to a bag of clear fluid hanging from a metal stand beside his bed.

Oguri looked up from where he was sitting on a chair in the far corner of the room scrolling through a tablet computer, and immediately rose to his feet before speaking quietly to Sho. “Your Royal Highness, Prince Matsumoto is asleep and I would rather not wake him. May I speak with you over here?”

Sho gazed longingly in Jun’s direction before reluctantly moving over to sit opposite the mild-mannered doctor. “How is he? Do you know what's wrong with him?”

Oguri smiled reassuringly and offered Sho a glass of blood from the jug sitting on a side table. Sho wanted to decline, but the doctor pressed the glass into his hand. “Please drink. I’m about to ask you to help Prince Matsumoto by allowing him to drink from you, and I would prefer it if you were well hydrated yourself.”

“Drinking from one’s mate is an intimate act, and not something to be performed on cue,” Sho protested.

“I’m sorry Sir, but your mate is severely blood deprived and extremely weak. It seems that for the past week he has barely been able to keep down more than a few mouthfuls at a time without them making him ill. It is only because he also consumes human food and drink that he isn’t in worse shape than he is presently.”

Those quietly spoken words made Sho’s heart thud anxiously in his chest. “I knew that he has been sleeping longer and feeling lethargic, but I only definitely found out about his vomiting today. That is why I immediately brought him here for an assessment.”

The physician nodded in approval, “You did the right thing. He would have suffered from a complete collapse if left untreated for much longer. As to what is ailing him, I have given him a thorough examination and run some tests. While we are waiting for the results, it would heal him faster if you could give him a little of your blood.”

“Do you think it’s anything serious?”

Oguri squeezed Sho’s shoulder reassuringly as he prepared to take his temporary leave. “Don't worry before you have to. Let’s just see what the test results say. In the meantime, please allow your mate to drink just a small amount in case his stomach rejects your blood. And please do your best to keep him calm; feeling anxious will do his health no good. He seems to be afraid to worry you and others whom he loves, which is why he has been unable to ask for help or reveal exactly how he has been feeling for the past few weeks.”

Heart sinking to the pit of his stomach, Sho took one last gulp of blood before he stood and walked quietly over to Jun, as Oguri left the room after promising to return with the test results as soon as possible.

****

Blinking slowly, Jun rubbed his cheek against the warm fingers which cupped his face. He breathed deeply, savouring the reassuring scent of his mate which invaded his senses and instantly calmed him.

Sho pressed a kiss to Jun’s pale lips and kicked off his shoes before carefully climbing onto the bed and pulling Jun into his arms. Jun’s scent was still much sweeter than usual, Sho noted with concern as he felt their heartbeats synchronize.

“I’m sorry,” Jun whispered into the side of Sho’s neck.

“Pet, it isn’t your fault that you're sick.” Sho smoothed Jun’s hair away from his face and kissed his forehead.

Jun shook his head slightly, “Not for being sick; for not letting you know how I was feeling.”

“As your mate, I should have been more aware,” Sho murmured. “I’m sorry Jun.”

Jun sighed wearily and snuggled closer, draping his limbs over Sho’s body, allowing Sho to feel how thin he had become in the past few days.

Sho shifted slightly, bringing Jun into a more upright position and earning himself a disgruntled whine in the process. “I’m sorry Pet, but before you sleep I need you to feed from me.”

Jun’s eyes flew open and he twisted in Sho’s arms. “Here? Why? No way...”

Sho could feel Jun beginning to panic and remembered his instructions to keep Jun calm. “Shhh my love, don't upset yourself. Oguri-sensei wants you to drink from me as part of your treatment. You want to be well, don't you?”

Jun nodded, but still looked worried, “I feel weak all the time, and I can't keep food or synthetic blood down. I only feel better when I drink from you, but I can't keep doing that. I don't want to hurt you.” A vision of Sho in a hospital bed, pale and almost completely drained flooded Jun’s mind and his breath hitched.

Sho instantly soothed him, “That was a long time ago and under completely different circumstances. You just need to take a little, only a few mouthfuls. You trust me don't you, and Oguri-sensei?”

“Of course I trust you,” Jun replied indignantly, regaining some of his usual fire.

“Then drink, my love.”

Sho lowered his fangs and punctured the ball of his thumb. Jun’s eyes lit up with a faint purple glow at the enticing scent of Sho’s fresh blood. Sho cradled the back of Jun’s head as he slipped his thumb between Jun’s parted lips. Jun slid his tongue around Sho’s digit, lapping at the beads of blood which welled up at the puncture site. Warmth spread slowly through Jun’s body as he increased the flow of blood to a thin trickle by using the tip of his fang to slightly enlarge the wound. Sho tugged at Jun’s hair as a warning to Jun to keep his instincts under control.

Sho recognized that his own heart rate was increasing as Jun sucked the blood from his thumb. Shivers of intense pleasure sparked down his spine and he knew that Jun was feeling the same heightening of his senses. It was extremely difficult to maintain control; in their case the act of drinking turned sexual every time. But this time the circumstances were different and Sho soon reluctantly tugged his hand away from Jun’s mouth.

Jun’s eyebrows knitted together as he frowned sleepily at Sho, murmuring unhappily at the sudden halt to his feeding.

Sho smiled lovingly at his grumpy mate and tucked the covers more closely around Jun as he fell asleep in his arms.

****

The door slid open, admitting Oguri-sensei carrying a sheaf of papers in one hand and his tablet in the other. Sho carefully wriggled out from Jun’s grasp and hopped down from the bed. He slipped his feet back into his shoes and raked his fingers through his hair. Before walking over to join the doctor, Sho checked that he hadn't accidentally woken Jun, happily noting the faint colour which suffused his cheeks.

“Sensei? Do you have the results?” Sho glanced at his watch, noting that four hours had passed; he must have fallen asleep. He instantly felt guilty about leaving Satoshi and Nino in the waiting room for so long.

As if he could read Sho’s mind, the taller man smiled and said, “Don't worry about your friends. I sent them home to wait until you contact them. As for Prince Matsumoto, I am pleased to see him looking so much healthier. You did well.”

“Thank you, and thank you for thinking of Satoshi and Nino. Should I wake Jun?”

“How about we have a coffee and let him sleep a little longer? I would rather tell you both at the same time, but please don't worry, it’s nothing bad.” Oguri said, smiling kindly at Sho.

Almost bursting with impatience, Sho wanted to grab the doctor and shake the diagnosis out of him, but for Jun’s sake he controlled himself.

“But I’m awake,” Jun piped up from his bed in a voice thick from sleep. “And I need you to tell me NOW.”

Sho turned and couldn’t help but smile at his mate who was sitting up with his hair sticking out in twenty different directions and attempting to appear regal, even though clad in the baby blue pyjamas he’d changed into after his other clothes became soaked with sweat.

“As you wish, Your Royal Highness,” Oguri replied, with a smile of his own, pleased by the improvement in his patient. “Will you allow me to ask you some questions?” He turned to Sho and added, “I’m afraid they are going to be quite personal, so I will apologize in advance.”

Jun nodded and Sho moved closer to the bed and stood beside it in an obviously protective stance.

“Your last bonding renewal was eight weeks ago?”

“Yes.”

“And of course you don’t use condoms or any other forms of birth control when you undertake your mating ritual?”

“No.” Jun blushed and Sho glared at the doctor, who adjusted his glasses and made a note on his tablet.

“You are aware that the only time vampires are able to breed is during the full moon of their mating rites? And that it is the submissive mate who decides when to become fertile and conceive?”

“Of course,” Sho replied confidently. “But our mating is too recent and Jun is far too young to be capable of breeding just yet. We all know that it takes decades of mating rituals before fertility is triggered.”

“This is true, except in the case where there is a particularly virile and dominant partner. If this is the case the partner can influence their mate and induce them to breed without them making a conscious decision.”

Jun looked confused, but Sho immediately understood why Oguri-sensei was asking these particular questions. “Does this mean what I think it does? You're telling us that Jun has been bred?”

A faint squeak of distress came out of Jun’s mouth as he disbelievingly clutched his stomach.

“The test results came back positive and I would estimate you to be approximately seven weeks pregnant, Prince Matsumoto. I would like your permission to perform an ultrasound to confirm this,” Oguri said, ignoring Sho and speaking directly to Jun, who had visibly paled at the news.

“NO!” Jun blurted as he sat upright and looked wildly around.

“You don't want the ultrasound?” Sho was confused.

Jun’s eyes glowed with anger. “I don't want to be _pregnant_.”

Sho reached for Jun’s hand, earning himself a deep gash across his palm as Jun hissed and slashed at him with his unsheathed claws. “Jun I don't understand how you can say that. Why aren't you happy?”

“Happy that you bred me and made me pregnant when we have only been mated for fifteen years? Happy that I had no say in the matter? Happy that you took the right to choose away from me?” Jun’s voice rose in pitch as he spoke and his chest heaved as he began to hyperventilate.  
  
“It wasn't a conscious decision,” Sho said, in an attempt to reason with Jun. “I certainly wasn't aware of influencing you to that extent. Once our mating begins we both lose ourselves and run on instinct.”  
  
“Well obviously your _instinct_ was to force me to breed,” Jun spat out angrily.  
  
“Not once have I ever forced you into anything.” Sho’s eyes glittered with angry red sparks as he responded loudly, prompting Oguri to place a warning hand on Sho’s arm.  
  
“This is a disaster. I don't want this, it's too soon.” Jun sounded frantic now. “I'm sure there's been a mistake.”

“Pet, please...this is a good thing.” Sho tried again to get close to Jun who flinched and shied away.

Jun’s abrupt movement pulled the cannula from his arm and blood trickled down his hand. The doctor immediately stepped in and grabbed Jun’s flailing arm and placed pressure on the torn flesh. He turned to Sho and gestured for him to leave.

“Prince Sakurai, please give us a few minutes,” Oguri said as he tried to make Jun stay still. When he saw Sho take a deep breath as if preparing to argue he added, “Leave the room. Now.” The honeyed glow of Oguri’s eyes underlined that he would not tolerate Sho distressing his patient for another moment.

****

Once Sho had reluctantly departed, Oguri sat carefully down on the edge of the bed. He inserted a new cannula into the vein Jun’s other arm as the previous site began to heal, although slower than usual due to Jun’s unwell state.

“Your Royal Highness…”

Jun interrupted, “Please stop calling me that. After all of the poking and prodding you did in places which only my mate gets to see, we should be on a first name basis.”

Oguri’s handsome face lit up with a grin as he tried out this new form of address, “Jun-sama?”

“Shun-sensei.” Jun replied with a twitch of the corners of his mouth, which wasn't quite a smile, but close. There was an aura of calm emanating from the doctor, which filled the room and soothed Jun’s nerves slightly.  
  
“It is true that Prince Sakurai triggered your breeding cycle, but he couldn't have succeeded if you were unwilling.” Shun assisted Jun to sit up and sip some water. “Have you never imagined bearing his offspring?”

“Of course I have. We are mates, it’s only natural that we will breed,” Jun replied with an irritated shake of his head; he was much more interested in the first part of Shun’s words. “Are you implying that this is _my_ fault?”  
  
“It’s _nobody’s_ fault. It is something which occurs extremely rarely when a mated pair is particularly compatible. Ninomiya-san told me about your abduction prior to your handfasting and mating. He mentioned that you were able to mentally communicate with Prince Sho and give him some clues as to the identity of your abductor. I believe that this incident you experienced fifteen years ago and the linking of your emotions, may have played a part in creating an intense bond between the pair of you much more quickly than is usual.” Shun rearranged Jun’s pillows and gently lowered him back down into a comfortable position.

Jun nodded slowly, “It’s true that when I was at my lowest it was Sho who I longed for. Thoughts of him filled my mind and my heart. Before that moment I had always relied on Satoshi for comfort, but visions of Sho gave me the strength to go on.”

“With such a bond it is understandable that this early breeding cycle is possible, and not something which either of you did deliberately, but rather it was a result of your deep connection,” Shun said gently. “You shouldn't be angry with Prince Sakurai or yourself, even though this is not something which you want right now.”

“I can't make myself be happy about this just to make everyone else feel better,” Jun said, looking up at the doctor.

“Just give yourself some time to adjust to the idea,” Shun replied. “May I retrieve Prince Sakurai so that he may observe the ultrasound?”

Jun looked unhappy, but nodded anyway, biting his bottom lip as his head buzzed with a whirl of mixed emotions.

****

“Just a few more sips.” Sho held the glass of water in front of Jun’s face, ignoring the narrowed eyes of his mate.

Jun curled his lip but managed to force down the last few mouthfuls of the litre of water which Shun-sensei had asked him to drink to enable the ultrasound to be undertaken.

“Pet, please don't be angry with me,” Sho said sadly, attempting to hold Jun’s hand.

Jun tugged his hand away. “I'm not. Well not as much as I was earlier.”

“Sorry to intrude,” Shun said as he wheeled a portable ultrasound machine into the suite. “This should give us an idea about how your vampling is developing. We should be able to see a heartbeat by this stage.”

Jun listlessly untied his pyjama top and looked away from the screen as the doctor smeared his belly with gel. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists as he sensed Sho’s excitement and the rapid thrumming of Sho’s heart.

“Can you please lift your hips a little Jun-sama?” Shun-sensei asked in a calm tone which belied the slight frown which creased his forehead.

Jun sighed and complied, still refusing to look at the screen. He knew that it was childish of him, but somehow he thought that if he didn't see the tiny life inside of him then it didn't actually exist.

Sho leant forward and held his breath as Shun made a small clicking noise with his tongue. “Sensei? Is there something wrong?”

“I'm not sure…” Shun moved the wand over Jun’s belly as if searching for something. “I can find the egg sac, but I don't seem to be able to find a heartbeat.”

Jun’s head snapped around to face the screen and a cold sweat pricked his skin at the doctor's words. His earlier detachment evaporated the instant that his vampling’s life was threatened. Jun raised his head and blindly groped for Sho’s hand as he desperately raked his eyes over the fuzzy picture on the screen. Sho squeezed back tightly as they tried to see a flicker of life. It was suddenly hard for Jun to breathe as fear and guilt gripped him. What if his rejection of his youngling had caused it irreparable damage?

“Sho, I'm s-sorry.” Tears blurred Jun’s vision, making the already difficult to distinguish picture on the screen turn into an abstract blob.

“Hush my love,” Sho murmured, dragging his eyes away from the screen and pressing a reassuring kiss to Jun’s lips. “I'm sure that if our vampling is as strong as you, we have nothing to fear.”

“There we go.” After a few moments longer, Shun pointed to a tiny fluttering pulse of movement. “Found it. Your young one was playing hard to get.”

Jun was transfixed by the sight, and warmth flooded his body along with an overwhelming sense of relief.

“I'll just go and make arrangements to keep you here for the next couple of days until your fluids are replenished and your nausea is under control,” Shun said as he gently wiped the gel from Jun’s belly before heading to the door. He paused before he slid the door open and looked over his shoulder. “Congratulations to you both.”

Sho stroked his fingers over the smooth skin of Jun’s bare belly before covering it with Jun’s pyjama top and tucking the blanket around Jun’s waist. Jun reached up and clung to Sho’s neck, pulling himself into a sitting position and burying his face into Sho’s chest, surprising his mate who was almost knocked off his feet.

Once again Jun frantically began to apologize, “I am so sorry. I shouldn't have said that I don't want to be pregnant. What if our vampling could sense that I rejected them? What if they don’t thrive?”

Sho, sensing that Jun was near to panicking, lengthened his claws and gripped Jun’s nape in a gesture of dominance. Jun stilled immediately, relaxing against Sho’s solid body as Sho reassured him, “You were in shock. You didn't know what you were saying.”

“But I did. I meant every word. I didn't want to be pregnant. I don't know how to do this and I thought that I had decades in which to learn.”

“And now? How you feel _now_ is more important.”

“As soon as I thought that something had gone wrong, I knew that I wanted our vampling more than anything I have ever wanted in my entire life,” Jun replied fervently.

“Then that's what counts. Forget what you said earlier and focus on keeping yourself and our youngling healthy. You know that I will do everything within my power to care for and protect you both, my love.” Sho released his hold on Jun’s nape and stroked Jun’s belly with his fingertips. “You’ve made me so very happy and proud.”

Jun beamed with pride but wriggled away from Sho’s touch, causing Sho to tense. “Pet, did I hurt you? Is there a problem?”

“Sorry, but I just drank over a litre of water and I really need to pee,” Jun replied with a slight blush.

Sho laughed and helped Jun up from the bed, wheeling his IV stand as they slowly made their way to the adjoining bathroom. “That is definitely not a problem. In fact there is only one thing which worries me right now.”

“What?” Jun blinked at Sho with concern.

Sho sighed and ran his hand through his hair smiling ruefully at his mate. “I am worried about what Satoshi is going to do to me when he finds out that I have accidentally impregnated his baby brother.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Satoshi reacts to Sho’s news, Nino grows closer to Jun, and there are reports of trouble between Vampires and Humans.

Nino looked up, ever alert, as a light knock sounded on the door to Satoshi's private rooms. Satoshi had been pacing restlessly since their arrival from the hospital, occasionally emitting quiet hissing sounds under his breath. Nino meanwhile, was sitting in silence, tucked unobtrusively into a chair in the corner using a small whetstone to sharpen the multiple blades of a black pocket knife.

“WHAT?” Satoshi shouted in the direction of the door, as he checked his phone once again for any messages regarding Jun.

A guard opened the door and stuck his head cautiously around the door jamb, swallowing nervously before speaking. “Prince Sakurai has arrived and wishes to speak with you. I repeatedly told him that you had asked to not be disturbed, but he is most insistent…”

The remainder of the guard’s words were cut off by a gurgle, as Satoshi gripped him by the throat and tugged him into the room, growling angrily and shaking him slightly.

Nino sighed, and carefully placed his knife back into his pocket, before standing up and walking over to Satoshi and the unfortunate human, who was in the process of turning blue. “Satoshi let him go. He only just came on duty and he doesn’t know what’s going on. Plus if you kill him, I will have to arrest you as part of my duties, and I am definitely not in the mood to fill in that much paperwork.”

Satoshi glared at Nino with blazing blue eyes which gradually dimmed as he came to his senses. He released the beefy man who wobbled dangerously, before finally managing to stand upright.

“I apologise for Prince Ohno’s behaviour; he has things on his mind,” Nino said, as he steered the stunned man from the room. Before they crossed the threshold, Nino turned the guard to face him and his eyes flared with golden sparks. The human froze in place as Nino held his gaze, and a smile gradually replaced the fear which had been there moments earlier. “Please send in Prince Sakurai.”

The guard nodded and rushed off up the corridor, eager to do Nino’s bidding, seeming to have forgotten his earlier trauma.

When he was gone Nino glared at Satoshi. “Control yourself. I’m not going to hypnotise people every time you lose your temper. The Vampire Council has strict rules regarding vampire interactions with humans and you just broke about seven of them.”

“Sorry. I’m just so worried about Jun.” Satoshi rubbed his eyes tiredly. “I will make arrangements for the human to have a holiday at my expense as a reward for his good service.”

“There’s no need to go that far. He doesn’t remember a thing,” Nino replied with a dismissive shake of his head.

“But I do. I am the heir to the Matsumoto Royal House and I shouldn’t lose control of my emotions in that way.”

Nino looked as if he wanted to argue further but their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Sho, whose face bore an expression that neither Nino nor Satoshi could decipher.

****

Nino gripped Satoshi’s arm in warning as he took a step in Sho’s direction, but Satoshi shrugged him off and made his way to where Sho was hesitating in the doorway. “Please come in,” Satoshi said neutrally.

“Thank you,” Sho replied, with a slight bow. In the fifteen years since he and Jun were mated, this was the first time he had visited Satoshi’s private quarters.

“May I offer you some refreshments?” Satoshi asked stiltedly.

“No thank you,” Sho replied equally as stiffly.

“So, how is he?” Nino asked, ignoring formalities and getting straight to the point.

“Who?” Sho replied dazedly as he sat staring at the far wall with unfocused eyes.

Satoshi growled, but Nino shushed him, picking up on Sho’s oddly detached demeanour. “Jun of course. Is he still in hospital?”

Sho blinked slowly and then somehow pulled himself together. “Yes. Oguri-sensei wants to keep him there for a couple of days to rehydrate him and make sure he can keep down some nourishment. He is looking much better already after being on an IV and drinking a small amount from me.”

“So as we all suspected, he has been sick for weeks and not telling us?” Nino asked.

“More like, some of us are unable to see the signs of serious illness in people we supposedly love, even when they are right under their nose,” Satoshi hissed.

Sho flinched but remained calm. “Jun isn’t ill.”

“Then why has he been hospitalized? Stop messing around and tell us what’s wrong.”

“He isn’t ill. He is breeding.” Sho looked Satoshi in the eyes for the first time, searching them for Satoshi’s reaction to his words. “He is seven weeks pregnant with my youngling.”

In a movement which was too fast for even Nino to prevent, Satoshi slapped Sho hard across the face, raking his nails across the skin as he did so, before storming out of the room without saying a word.

“You accidentally knocked up Jun-kun?” Nino’s eyes were wide with disbelief. “I’m not sure that even the power of the Vampire Council is strong enough to prevent Satoshi from ripping your dick off.”

Sho nodded and slumped down in his seat, dabbing at the healing scratches on his cheek with a tissue. He knew that Satoshi would immediately rush to Jun’s bedside, but held no fears that Satoshi would take his anger out on his younger brother. Sho just hoped that Jun would be able to convince Satoshi that this was something which was a consequence of their unusually strong mating bond, and not the result of Sho forcing his mate into breeding too soon. The thought of facing the next few centuries dealing with the anger of his brother-in-law and the rest of Jun’s family, was definitely something which Sho didn’t wish to even begin to contemplate.

****

Roused from a deep sleep, Jun sensed the presence of someone else in his room long before he spotted the familiar blue glow of his brother’s eyes. This particular shade only came out when Satoshi was particularly enraged, and Jun had rarely ever seen it directed at him.

“Satoshi?” Jun struggled to sit up, fighting a losing battle with the mound of pillows at the top of the bed. “I was going to thank you for coming to see me, but it seems as if you came here because you have something to say.”

“Your mate came to see me,” Satoshi said, spitting out the word ‘mate’ as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. “He told me that you’re carrying his young.”

“So I was wrong, and you're here to congratulate me?” Jun asked with mild sarcasm.

Jun could feel disapproval leaking from every pore of Satoshi's being, and he was determined to stand up to him. Satoshi loved him, and while growing up, Satoshi had also thought he knew what was best for Jun. Jun had readily agreed with his older and wiser brother, allowing him to steer his decisions, trusting Satoshi to guide him in the right direction. But now Jun’s protective instincts had been awakened by the knowledge that he was carrying a tiny and fragile life, and he was ready to defend both his vampling and mate from anything and anyone; even his beloved brother.

“How could you be so weak? Are you so enthralled by him? So under his control?” Satoshi hissed the words out as he loomed over Jun. “Since it seems you were too stupid to prevent him from forcing you into breeding, then I will have to do something about it myself. The Vampire Council forbids a dominant mate from using his power against his submissive in such a way.”

Anger flowed through Jun’s veins. “You have no right to speak about Sho in that way. He is my mate and he would willingly die for me, as I would for him. Do you think I am so weak? Do you see me as some helpless puppet?”

“He tricked you, and you are either still under his influence, or too stupid to even notice. You shouldn't be capable of breeding for at least a century, and I am sure that your young will suffer for it.”

Jun clutched his belly in a protective gesture, horrified by Satoshi's words. “If you can't accept this then get out, and I don't just mean out of this room. I don't want you in my life if you are going to speak of my vampling in that way. Sho and I can defend ourselves, but my young one is a tiny helpless, and utterly defenceless speck. You are my brother and I love you, but I love Sho and this vampling with every fibre of my being. I mean it Satoshi, if you can't accept this, then you won’t be allowed to ever see me again.”

Satoshi stood as if frozen to the spot, as Jun glared at him with defiant eyes ablaze with a bright purple fire, before wordlessly turning and stalking from the room.

****

Jun’s anger sustained him through the next few minutes as he stared at the closed door. His heart was pounding and he could hear the rasping gasp of his own breathing as he clenched his fists. The thought of never speaking to his brother again made Jun more scared than he had ever been; even after being abducted he hadn’t been this terrified. Satoshi had been there from the day of his birth, supporting him, caring for him, loving him, and he wanted his vampling to experience the same support.

Jun’s vision blurred as tears welled in his eyes, but he found comfort as he stroked his belly, imagining that his miniscule youngling could hear him speak. “Don't fret, my little one, your Papa and I will make sure that you are happy and loved, even if we have to do it alone.”

“You won't be alone.”

Jun wiped his eyes and looked up at Satoshi who had come back into the room, wearing a contrite expression. “Satoshi?”

“I’m sorry Jun. Please forgive me. What I said was cruel and uncalled for,” Satoshi said as he slowly approached Jun, as if unsure of his welcome. “It was a knee-jerk reaction and I didn’t think before I spoke.”

“I meant every word Satoshi.” Jun pulled himself a little higher in the bed and wiped his eyes. “Don’t test me on this. If you can’t accept that Sho and I are breeding then I don’t want you around.”

Satoshi bowed deeply and his voice was husky as he replied. “I forget that you are a mature vampire now and you don’t need me to look after you any longer. You have your mate now to care for you. ”

“I didn’t expect you to be pleased at this news, and to be perfectly honest, I was angry too when I found out. But things can’t be changed, and now that I am used to the idea it means everything to me, and I hope that you can be happy for me too.”

“I promise not to interfere, and I shall inform Father on your behalf. I imagine that he will not be pleased, but I will find a way to calm him,” Satoshi said formally, as he straightened up. “I will leave now and allow you to get some rest.”

Satoshi turned and headed towards the door. His slumped shoulders and hunched figure signalling defeat.

“Satoshi, wait!” Jun struggled to rise off the bed and prevent his brother from leaving. “You don’t have to leave.”

“You want me to stay? Is that all right?”

“Please. Just because I want my independence, it doesn’t mean that I don’t need your love.”

Satoshi practically flew across the room to hug his brother. “You will never lose my love. We are brothers for life, Jun.”

To Jun’s astonishment Satoshi began to cry, sitting on the edge of the bed clutching Jun tightly to his chest and soaking the collar of Jun’s pyjamas with his tears. It was the first time Jun had ever seen his brother cry, and he couldn't help the moisture which welled in his own eyes in response. “Satoshi, please don't think that I am not truly grateful for everything that you have done for me. Father had no time for me and Mother simply couldn’t cope. You were the one who I could rely on. That’s why I want you to offer that same love and protection to my vampling. You will make the best Uncle that my youngling could hope for, so I hope that you can find at least a tiny bit of room in your heart for them too.”

Satoshi surreptitiously wiped his eyes and cleared his throat before replying. “If this youngling and any future vamplings take after you, my experience will be sorely needed. You were such a handful growing up.”

Jun huffed indignantly and glared at his older brother. “How dare you. I was the perfect vampling.”

“Perfectly spoilt, you mean,” Satoshi laughed.

“Only by you, Satoshi. You made up for the indifference of our parents.”

“Our parents are foolish. By their coldness to you they have missed out on experiencing all that I have shared with you. They missed watching you turn into the strong and loving vampire you are today.”

Jun swallowed hard and burrowed tighter into Satoshi’s chest. He felt far from the strong vampire that his brother believed him to be. “And Sho? You aren't going to hold a grudge? This wasn't his fault.”

“I have realized that I haven't given him much of a chance to prove himself.” Satoshi rubbed Jun’s back soothingly as he had done when Jun was tiny. “And since you are such a strong-willed creature, I doubt that he could make you do anything that you didn't wish for anyway.

“Then let me prove myself now.” Sho’s voice was deep and serious as he unexpectedly hovered in the doorway. “Allow me to work with you to bring our families together.”

“Sho!” Jun immediately pulled back from Satoshi’s embrace and held out his arms needily in Sho’s direction.

Satoshi abandoned his spot and moved over to one of the chairs, allowing Sho to take his place. “How do you feel now my love?” Sho sniffed Jun’s nape, becoming used to the slight alteration in his mate’s scent. Oguri-sensei had told them that Jun’s scent would remain sweeter while he carried their vampling.

“Satoshi and I have sorted out our issues and for our youngling’s sake I hope that you two can do the same,” Jun said softly as he took Sho’s hand and pressed it to his perfectly flat belly.

“In that case I shall take up Sho’s offer to bring our families together,” Satoshi replied. “But first I shall leave you two alone to allow the news to sink in.”

After Satoshi’s departure Sho settled himself on the bed beside Jun, embracing him and speaking words of love to their unborn youngling until silence settled over the room as they slept.

****

Jun picked at a loose thread on the seam of the sheet and sighed. He still had one more day to spend in hospital, and Jun was already bored. There was nothing worth watching on television, and the book he was currently reading failed to hold his attention. He missed Sho even though he had only left a few minutes earlier to attend to important family business. It was hard for Jun to allow Sho out of his sight and even harder for Sho to leave. All of his instincts had told Sho to stay with his mate in a protective stance and only Jun’s insistence had spurred him to go.

Picking up his chopsticks, Jun prodded at the unappealing omurice congealing on the plate resting on the tray table in front of him. It was important to eat and provide nourishment for his miniscule youngling, but Jun’s stomach rebelled at the odour of the rapidly cooling food.

“Good thing I picked up some takeaway on the way over.”

“Nino?”

Nino placed the cover over the omurice and removed the tray. “I thought you were supposed to be building up your strength, not building castles out of egg.”

“It doesn't appeal to me right now,” Jun pouted. “It’s not the right season for omurice.”

“Perhaps this will appeal to you more.” Nino pulled various containers out of the bag and arranged them on the tray in front of Jun, who immediately perked up.

“Soba!” Jun eagerly sprinkled the noodles with spring onion before dipping a mound of them into the sauce. His happy slurps filled the room as Nino made himself comfortable, sitting down on a visitor chair and casually crossing his legs. His newest sneakers were green with vivid orange stripes along the sides.

“Those shoes are…” Jun’s words trailed off as nausea swirled in his stomach. He breathed deeply in an attempt to quell his rising sickness.

“No need to throw up just to make a point. My shoes aren't that bad,” Nino said as he hovered nervously near the bed.

Jun swallowed and closed his eyes. “They really are awful.”

“But cheap and absolutely silent when I walk,” Nino replied with a smirk. He didn't need to elaborate the importance of this feature any further to Jun.

“Thank you for the food. I really appreciate it even if I’m not doing justice to it,” Jun said as he took another cautious mouthful of soba.

“My pleasure. Are you sure you're okay?”

“You can tell Sho that I’m fine.”

“Sho?” Nino blinked in feigned innocence.

“I can smell him on you. He obviously asked you to keep watch over me,” Jun replied blandly.

“Is there any point in trying to deny it?”

Jun raised an eyebrow in reply and offered Nino some noodles out of politeness, sure to be refused since nobody had ever seen human food touch Nino’s lips. “He’s my mate. I know that he wouldn't leave me alone if he thinks I can't protect myself.”

“I’m not just here because he asked me to. I wanted to see for myself that you are looking better. You looked terrible when Sho carried you down to the car.”

“ _Thanks._

“It is my duty to ensure your safety, Prince Jun. Once before I failed and you and Prince Sho suffered for it. This time I intend to make sure that you aren't hurt.”

“Nino, I appreciate your sense of duty, but I’m breeding, not fighting a war.” Jun knew that if Nino was using titles then he was feeling particularly emotional. “All that I require is your friendship, and maybe to intervene when Sho and Satoshi inevitably smother me with overprotectiveness.”

“We all know that they do it out of love, and because the pair of them sometimes act like idiots, but mostly because of the love part,” Nino replied gruffly as he pushed the noodles away. The thought of Jun counting him as a friend made him feel warm all over and it wasn’t something he was used to.

A soft smile graced Jun’s face as he retrieved the soba, and as his wave of nausea receded, he once again dug into the noodles with enthusiasm. He could feel Sho’s love embracing him even though his mate was absent. Due to their bond, Jun was never alone and he was filled with strength by just that knowledge.

****

“Satoshi, why are we here? Jun is still hospitalised and he needs my support.” Sho shifted uncomfortably in his chair and drummed his fingers impatiently on the desk, all the while searching for Jun’s feelings with his mind. He was only slightly reassured by the tendrils of warmth he received in return. Eventually, as Jun’s pregnancy progressed, he hoped to become calmer and less on edge, but right now his protective instincts were on overdrive.

“There are reports that a gang of humans with connections within both of our kingdoms are attacking lesser vampires.” Satoshi’s forehead creased as he paced across the carpet. His office was decorated to his father’s taste, not Satoshi's own, but he barely noticed the heavy furniture and oriental carpets anyway. He usually preferred to work from his bedroom but nobody but Jun or his lovers were allowed into his inner sanctum.

“Is the Council aware of this?”

“They are the ones who asked me to investigate. You know that they try to interfere as little as possible within the Royal Families if possible,” Satoshi replied with a frown.

“Really? They haven’t shown that recently,” Sho replied, thinking of his own arranged mating with Jun. The fact that it had turned out well didn’t absolve the Council from forcing them together in the first place. “Do we know why this is occurring?”

“The humans claim that vampires are being unfairly favoured when it comes to jobs and contracts within the Kingdoms. But Nino believes that they are nothing more than criminals and thugs who are attempting to take away the livelihood of innocent vampires.”

King Matsumoto had dismissed the problem, passing it over to his eldest son to deal with. The fate of a few lesser vampires did not overly concern him. To Satoshi however, it felt as if the peaceful accord between humankind and vampires might be endangered. Most vampires did not lead a life of luxury and privilege as those members of the Royal Family, working for a wage just the same as humans.

“What do we need to do?” Sho had enough worries of his own to contend with. Jun’s health and wellbeing was of prime importance, along with that of his youngling. He appreciated Satoshi’s effort to include him, but he hoped that the matter could be resolved without too much involvement on his part.

“For the moment we do nothing. Nino is going to look into it and send out his agents. The important thing is for us to be alert. If they are attacking vampires, then there is nothing to prevent them from attacking highborn vampires too.”

Sho’s eyes glowed from deep within as he realized that there was no way that he could allow Satoshi to handle this problem alone. “So Jun may be in danger?”

“We all may be targets, not just Jun. But whereas we can take care of ourselves he will need our protection. He is especially vulnerable right now, due to his pregnancy.” Satoshi was unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice, at the thought of his baby brother being in such a condition. Although he had come to terms with Sho as Jun’s mate, Satoshi couldn’t help but to worry about his brother. He was far too young to be breeding for the first time, especially considering the difficulties surrounding vampire pregnancies in general.

For once Sho was in complete agreement. “Then, with your help we must rid our Kingdoms of these humans as soon as we can. And in the meantime I will not let Jun out of my sight. He is mine to protect.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first chaptered fic since I don’t even know when. I’ve been working on it for an embarrassingly long length of time and it still isn’t complete. I figured that the only way to make myself finish it is to start posting and catch myself up at the end.


End file.
